Apparatus and method for manufacturing at least one drive belt

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing at least one drive belt, comprising a tubular shaping body having a first inner cavity which extends in the longitudinal direction of the shaping body over the entire or predominant length of the shaping body and is surrounded circumferentially by a wall of the shaping body, wherein the inner side of the wall of the shaping body facing the first inner cavity has a shaping surface for abutment and shaping of the drive belt to be produced during the manufacturing process. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing at least one such drive belt by means of such an apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing at least one drive belt by means of an apparatus having a tubular shaping body having a first inner cavity which extends in a longitudinal direction of the shaping body over an entire or predominant length of the shaping body and is surrounded circumferentially by a wall of the shaping body, wherein an inner side of the wall of the shaping body facing the first inner cavity has a shaping surface for abutment and shaping of the drive belt to be produced during a manufacturing process, and at least one of a) an outer tube formed as a tubular body with a second inner cavity adapted to receive the tubular shaping body, or b) another outer part outside the tubular shaping body, wherein the outer part forms with the shaping body two radially inter-engaging components of the apparatus, and the shaping body is made of aluminum that has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than a material of the outer tube or the outer part, the method comprising:
 A) providing a raw coil made from a raw material of the drive belt,   B) inserting the raw coil into the shaping body   C) inserting an elastic pressure bellows into the interior of the raw coil,   D) heating the shaping body to a first temperature,   E) pressurizing an inner space of the pressure bellows for performing a pressing operation of the raw coil against the shaping surface of the first inner cavity, wherein step E) can be carried out before or after step D) or overlapping in time with step D),   F) removing the manufactured drive belt from the shaping body.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein after step C) and before step F), further heating of the shaping body to a vulcanization temperature above the first temperature takes place and, when the vulcanization temperature is reached, a vulcanization insulation phase is carried out. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein after step A) and before step C), the shaping body is inserted into an outer tube of the apparatus, and is removed from the outer tube of the apparatus before the manufactured drive belt is removed from the shaping body in step F). 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein heating of the shaping body is performed indirectly by heating the outer tube. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heating of the shaping body is carried out by means of induction heating, conduction heating and/or by a heated gaseous medium. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein heating of the shaping body is carried out by steam heating. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shaping body is divided in the longitudinal direction into at least two individual parts which form respective sectors of the shaping body, the method further comprising:
 inserting the raw coil into the sectors of the shaping body that are not yet connected to each other,   connecting the sectors of the shaping body to each other so as to obtain a closed inner cavity in which the raw coil is arranged.   
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein in step F), the sectors of the shaping body are moved away from each other in the radial direction during removal of the manufactured drive belt from the shaping body. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising separating the sectors of the shaping body from one another. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for manufacturing at least one drive belt, comprising:
 a tubular shaping body having a first inner cavity which extends in a longitudinal direction of the shaping body over an entire or predominant length of the shaping body and is surrounded circumferentially by a wall of the shaping body, wherein an inner side of the wall of the shaping body facing the first inner cavity has a shaping surface for abutment and shaping of the drive belt to be produced during a manufacturing process, and at least one of:
 a) an outer tube formed as a tubular body with a second inner cavity adapted to receive the tubular shaping body, or 
 b) another outer part outside the tubular shaping body, wherein the outer part forms with the shaping body two radially interengaging components of the apparatus, 
   wherein the shaping body is made of aluminum that has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than a material of the outer tube or the outer part.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the shaping body is divided in the longitudinal direction into at least two individual parts which form respective sectors of the shaping body. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the outer tube or outer part is configured for tempering the tubular shaping body by heat transfer. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein an inner diameter of the second inner cavity and the outer diameter of the shaping body form a clearance fit at a temperature below 30° C. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein an inner diameter of the second inner cavity and the outer diameter of the shaping body form an press fit at a temperature above 80° C. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus has a heating device which is arranged for heating the outer tube or the outer part to a temperature sufficient for carrying out a manufacturing process of the drive belt. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus has a flexible and/or elastic pressure bellows, which has a smooth or structured outer surface for receiving the raw material for manufacturing the drive belt. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the pressure bellows has an outer diameter which, at atmospheric pressure inside the pressure bellows, is smaller than the inner diameter of the first inner cavity at least by the thickness of the raw material for producing the drive belt arranged between the shaping body and the pressure bellows. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is configured for producing at least one drive belt with a rib structure, wherein the shaping surface of the shaping body has a surface structuring which is formed as a negative profile of the ribs of the drive belt to be produced. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the flexible and/or elastic pressure bellows comprises a rubber bladder. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is configured for producing at least one drive belt with a V-rib structure. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus has a locking device, by means of which the sectors, at least in a state assembled to form the shaping body, are locked against movement in an axial direction.